2017 Driver Ratings School Report: Hampus Ericsson

TERM ONE

Grade: C-

Comment: As a Challenge Cup entrant, Ericsson only competed in two of the five rounds before the summer break: Donington Park and Croft. He couldn’t finish higher than ninth in any of the six races or third in the challenge cup class.

TERM TWO

Grade: C-

Comment: With only two rounds down, Ericsson competed in every round of the championship after the summer break. He continued to develop and his results improved, taking regular top 10 finishes. Ericsson claimed his first overall podium at Knockhill as he continued to close the gap to Challenge Cup rival Harry Webb. With a second third place in the final race of the season, he secured the Challenge Cup crown.

Overall Grade: C-

Best moment of the season: Ericsson entered the final race of the season nine points behind Webb in the Challenge Cup fight, but starting ahead of his rival on track. With drizzle just hitting at the start of the race, the Cup battle was cut short when Webb collided with Luca Allen off of the line, damaging his car and ending his race Webb was out of the fight and all Ericsson needed to do was finish the race. Ericsson did more than that. He spent the first half of the race running seventh, just behind Oscar Piastri and Jamie Caroline. As Piastri tried to make a move past Caroline, Ericsson found a way past around the outside and slotted in ahead of the Arden driver. The following corner, he passed Caroline, moving up to fifth. As Ericsson built up a gap to Caroline, retirements from Ayrton Simmons and Logan Sargeant ahead of him boosted him to third. He finished a long way off second, but more than eight seconds ahead of third, securing his Challenge Cup title and 10th in the overall standings.

Worst moment of the season: Ericsson was the only driver to be excluded from a race this season. He was battling with Karl Massaard for ninth when the pair collided. Massaard was wiped out of the race, leaving fluid over the track and brining out the safety car. Ericsson was able to continue, and was running 10th until the final lap, when he dropped to 13th, which would have put him second in the Challenge Cup class. It was deemed he had caused “avoidable” contact and was excluded from the race.